Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Kombolcha-Dessie

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L8433
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Aden - Aden
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Aden-Khormaksar Airport on an operation to Ethiopia. Approaching Dessie, it was shot down by the pilot of an Italian fighter and crashed. A crew was killed and two others were injured and became PoW.
Crew:
P/O John Alan Barke, pilot,
Sgt R. W. Scott, observer,
Sgt Gordon Charles Moore, wireless operator. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by an Italian fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Saint Eval: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
T2281
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Saint Eval - Saint Eval
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF St Eval at 2048LT on an operation to Brest. While returning to base in the evening, it overshot the runway and crashed in a field just beyond the runway end. Two crew members were killed and a third was seriously injured.
Crew:
Sgt Leslie Ernest Kiddle, pilot, †
Sgt Pieter Emile Gerald Cammaerts, observer, †
Sgt R. H. Kniveton, wireless operator.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I near Koritsa

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L1390
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
8673
YOM:
1938
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The bomber was shot down by ground fire and crash landed near Koritsa. All three crew members became PoW.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV near White Waltham: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V6263
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Liverpool - Lyneham
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot departed Liverpool-Speke Airport on a flight to RAF Lyneham. En route, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances near RAF White Waltham. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Crew:
F/O Robert Serge Loewenstein, pilot.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV near RAF St Mawgan: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1941 at 0320 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L8787
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Saint Eval - Saint Eval
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF St Eval at 0111LT on an operation to Brest. It crashed for unknown reasons at 0320LT at Carnewas Farm, two miles north of RAF St Mawgan. All three crew members were injured. One of them died from injuries sustained on March 30.
Crew:
F/Lt Gordon Percy Yarrow, †
P/O R. Y. Ashley,
Sgt J. Grant.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Vierge Island: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 27, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V5865
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The bomber crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Vierge Island. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Terence Patrick O'kelly Thomas Coady,
P/O John Miles Fothergill,
Sgt Peter Ralph Parker.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Ushant: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 27, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
T2332
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Saint Eval - Saint Eval
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF St Eval at 1838LT on a mission to Ushant. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the pilot of a Me.109 and crashed into the sea. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Robert Norman Philpott, pilot,
Sgt Cyril Arthur Carew Goad, observer,
Sgt Frederick George Manning, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Dunkirk: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V5648
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Thorney Island - Thorney Island
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Thorney Island at 1020LT to attack ships off the French coast. Approaching the coast, it crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Dunkirk. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Peter McMillan, pilot,
Sgt Derek Charles Spencer Vane, observer,
Sgt William James Butler, wireless operator.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Texel Island: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 24, 1941 at 1612 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L9389
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bodney - Bodney
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Bodney for an anti-shipping mission off the Dutch coast. While attacking the destroyer 'Ilits', it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea off Texel Island. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Hugh James Walter Black, pilot,
Sgt Thomas Henry Cooke, observer,
Sgt Frank Archer, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Watton: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 24, 1941 at 0040 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R3673
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Watton - Watton
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Watton at 1955LT on March 23 on an operation to Hanover. While returning to base the following night, it crashed and was destroyed by a post crash fire. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Sidney Ernest Sproson, pilot,
Sgt William Robert Clinton, observer,
Sgt Edward James Chinn, wireless operator.